Untitled For Now
by HinaLuvLuvChan
Summary: 'Nami stared at them. "Please... Help me..." Luffy put his hat on her head as Umi kneeled down next to her and smiled as she said, "Your village is gonna be your village, k?"' Luffy and Umi OC start an adventure to find One Piece. M for later chapters. Willing to hear pairings, not sure yet. Could be yaoi and het.
1. The Beginning

Once upon a time, there was a great pirate. His name was "Gold Roger". He had conquered every single treasure that existed. His last words before his execution have inspired pirates around the world.

"_Want my ultimate treasures? It's possible… Hmph. I will give them to those who can find them. I have gathered everything in this world and already hidden them in_ that_ place."_

The world has entered the pirate era.

* * *

><p>"Shaa~nks! Onii-Chan's gonna do something stupid again!"<p>

A laugh. "Ok, Luffy! Let's see what you do this time!"

At the head of the bow, a young boy holding a knife growled at the aforementioned Shanks, a strapping young lad that had 3 scars running down the left side of his face, and wearing a straw hat, captain of the pirate crew that regularly made an appearance in the small village, known more widely as "Red Haired Shanks".

"I'll show you!" the young boy, Monkey D. Luffy is his name, yelled at Shanks and his crew as they laughed. A young girl stood off to the sidelines, watching quietly. She had said her part, and if the crew didn't believe her when she said Luffy would do something stupid, then it was their fault, not hers. When she saw her older brother stab himself underneath his eye with the knife, she sighed and retreated back to town, to the bar, knowing that the rest would eventually follow.

"It didn't hurt at all!" Luffy with tears in his eyes smiled from the barstool at Makino, the young owner of the bar who just smiled at the boy as she gave his younger sister a cup of milk, her short hair ruffling as she tilted her head.

"Don't lie, you dumbass!" Shanks yelled as he punched him on the back of his head. "Why didn't you warn us he was gonna try to kill himself, Umi!"

She slowly turned her head to face the man, her face a terror even though she was no older than 5. " I said he was gonna do something stupid again, ne?"

Shanks and Luffy shuffled backwards as they smiled nervously. "Dahahaha!" Shanks laughed as he slowly walked back towards the bar, holding Luffy out in front of him. Umi sniffed, and turned back towards her milk as Makino put out plates of food for the three of them on the bar.

"Anyway! You should take me out with you this time Shanks! I wanna be a part of your crew!" Shanks flicked the boy's nose.

"You're still a kid. And you can't even swim! Why would I bring you?" Luffy growled.

"Oh, come on, Senchou! Why don't you bring the tike on one run?"

"It couldn't hurt anything, ne?"

"Senchou! It could be fun!"

Shanks smiled at the three men. "Alright, then. You decide who wants to stay here while I have Luffy take your place."

The three scampered off as they laughed. "We've said too much already!"

"Traitors!" Luffy yelled at the three of them.

"Aww. Don't worry Luffy," Shanks smiled as he gave him a cup. "Here, have some juice."

Luffy smiled. "Thanks!" he yelled and then guzzled it. Shanks started laughing and hitting the bar as he grabbed his stomach.

"And you say you're not a kid!"

Luffy jerked, and then threw the cup at the man's head. "YOU TRICKED ME!"

"Luffy, try to understand the Senchou's feelings," a tall man, with long hair in a ponytail smiled at the boy as he lit a cigarette.

"Shank's feelings?" the boy quirked his head.

"Yes," the man nodded. "He knows that you want to be a part of his pirate crew, and he supports it, but he also knows how hard it is. He doesn't want you to be hurt. You understand?"

Luffy shook his head. "I don't understand, but Shanks doesn't care. He just makes fun of me!" and he turned to face the senchou just as the man slightly put his hand to his mouth and let go and a small puff of air left his mouth as he mumbled, "Can't swim," and made a weird face that seemed as if he was trying not to laugh.

"See! He just makes fun of me!" The man sighed and just looked at the senchou.

"Onii-Chan, come sit down and finish eating." Umi gestured to the chair next to her as she kicked the chair Shanks was sitting on and made it fall, the rest of the crew laughing at him.

As the boy was finishing his food, a tall, burly, un-clean looking man barged into the restaurant. The crew stopped laughing and talking, but kept eating as they watched the man and the group with him. The man walked up to Makino and narrowed his eyes at the kids and Shanks seated at the bar. Luffy ignored the man in favor of looking in the interesting chest by Shanks. Umi looked away from the man, and watched as Luffy grabbed the strange looking fruit and bit into it. Her eyebrow quirked, and she contemplated telling Shanks, but ignored it and went back to her milk.

"Can I help you?"

He looked at the woman and smiled nastily. "I'd like 10 barrels of sake."

Makino looked nervous. "I'm afraid I'm out, I apologize."

The man scanned the room. "Really, now? Then what are the men here are drinking? Is it water?"

She shook her head. "It's sake, but that's the last of it. My store will be restocked in a week at the most, if you'd like to come back…"

"I'm sorry," Shanks smiled at the man. "We've bought the last of the sake, but I have a bottle here that's unopened. If you'd like, you can have it-"

The man interrupted him by grabbing the bottle and smashing it against the side of his head. The crew sat and watched as Luffy and Makino gasped, Umi turned to face the man, and Shanks fell off his stool.

"Who do you think I am? My name is Higuma. I'm the leader of these mountain bandits, I've killed 56 people before, I'm one of the prime fugitives here, and my head is worth 8 Million Beli. Do you really think you can just give me one bottle of sake? You cocky bastard. Now that you know who I am, don't take me lightly," he smirked. "Kaizoku's are just pathetic." He turned and caught the eye of the young girl, eyes widening as her face seemed to hold nothing but contempt and anger. He scoffed and turned to head back outside, the rest of his men following him.

"I'm sorry Makino. Do you have a rag I can use?" Shanks picked up the glass and put it in a pile in his hands. As Makino headed over to help him with a bag and a rag, the crew burst into laughter.

"He got you good, Senchou!"

"You should'a seen your face!"

"STOP!" Everyone turned to Luffy who was breathing hard and glaring at Shanks as Makino wiped the red head down. "That was pathetic! How can you call yourself pirates when you don't beat down those that make fun of you! Why would I want to be part of your crew when you don't even defend yourself?"

Umi jumped off her seat and walked to Luffy, grabbing his hand. Shanks grabbed his other hand. "Wait, Luffy."

Luffy growled and turned away, "I'm leaving!" he shouted, and started walking. However, as he walked, his hand stayed in Shank's grasp, but his arm stretched, making the crew's mouth's drop and eyes enlarge as they all shouted in astonishment.

"What happened!"

"What'd you do, Luffy!"

"Hey, Senchou! The fruit's gone!" a large man who always had a smile and carried a slab of meat on him gestured to the empty chest. Showing a picture of the funky looking fruit to Luffy he shouted, "Did you eat this!"

Luffy looked at it, and nodded. "It was a nasty dessert."

Shanks grabbed him by his feet and started shaking him upside down. "SPIT IT UP RIGHT NOW!"

Luffy yelled as his neck stretched and hit the floor making a hole. Shanks turned to Umi who shrugged and said, "You were busy. I was eating. You don't listen to me anyway."

Shanks dropped Luffy and pointed at the girl. "BUT YOU KNOW! YOU OF ALL PEOPLE KNOW!"

Luffy pulled his head out of the hole and turned to Shanks yelling, "What did I do! All I did was eat a nasty fruit!"

Shanks turned back to Luffy. "That wasn't just fruit Luffy. You ate the Gomu-Gomu fruit! It's a Devil's Fruit that gives you the ability to stretch but you'll never be able to swim! You'll just be a rock and sink!"

Luffy's face grew whiter and his eyes grew as his mouth shook. "Eh? EEEHHH?"

* * *

><p>"Hey, Shop Keeper! I wanna buy some fish!"<p>

"Fish… Fish…"

The owner looked to see Luffy smiling at him, Umi next to him holding his hand and drooling as she looked at the many fish lying in a row on a bed of ice. He smiled and grabbed the basket Luffy was handing him to put some fish in it.

"You kids look happy today. Did the pirates leave you again? Well, I guess it doesn't matter since you can't be a pirate anymore cause you can't swim."

Luffy laughed. "That's ok! I'll just be a pirate that won't get in the water! And look!" Letting go of Umi's hand he grabbed his cheeks and pulled them apart wide. "Since I've become rubber, I've gotten happier! See?"

"It doesn't matter if the whole village thinks it's cool! You are not allowed to become a pirate, Luffy! The reputation of the village would be in shambles! It's bad enough we let that hellion Shanks come here without getting the Marines involved!"

"Nya-nya-nya!" Luffy stuck his fingers in his ears as he walked away from the mayor, holding his fish. Umi stood there, her thumb in her mouth, looking at the mayor and the storekeeper's fish. Pointing at the mayor's hat, she opened her mouth, drooling as she mumbled, "Striped Unagi…"

The storekeeper laughed as the mayor yelled at the girl, stomping in place, as she ran away towards Luffy, grabbing his hand once more.

* * *

><p>"I'm bored…"<p>

"Are you lonely, Luffy? Umi's here too," Makino smiled at the boy sitting there with all his juice gone, his cup tilted into his face with his sister on his right side drinking her chocolate milk. Makino had always loved spending time with the two and would miss them dearly if Shanks really did take the two to sea. Personally she felt as if they should wait quite a few years till they could take care of themselves, and was quietly glad that Shanks wouldn't let them come, because she knew that wherever Luffy went Umi was sure to follow. She always saw Shanks give her a look as if he knew exactly how she felt whenever he told Luffy no. Smiling, she indulged him, going along with his depression and laughing as he said she didn't know anything.

The three of them turned to the door as it banged open, and Makino felt something wrong in her bones.

* * *

><p>"Chief! Please, hurry!"<p>

The mayor turned towards Makino, huffing and red faced. "What's wrong?"

Leaning against the door, she gasped out, "Luffy and Umi…they got kidnapped by bandits!"

* * *

><p>"What an interesting body. No matter how many times you kick it or punch it, it's not going to gain any damage."<p>

"Let go of me right now! Apologize for what you did!" Higuma grabbed Luffy's cheek and stretched it out.

"Hmmm… Interesting. A rubber man. Who would'a thought such a creature existed. Maybe if I sell him to the circus, I'll get some money," he laughed as he grabbed Luffy's bottom lip and flipped him over. Turning towards Umi who was held by her wrists by one of his men, he grabbed her braid and yanked her towards him. "I could probably sell her to some red district. I could get a lot of money for those eyes of hers."

"GRRRAAAAHHH! Luffy ran towards him with a huge stick. "LET GO OF HER!"

Whipping her to the side, Higuma raised his leg, "What a strong…" he narrowed his eyes at Luffy, who's eyes widened, "BRAT!" and kicked him in the face, making him fly and sprawl on the ground. Walking over to him, he stepped on his face, smashing him into the ground while still dragging Umi along.

"Did I do something to make you mad?"

Luffy growled. "YES! Now apologize right now, Damnit!"

"LET GO OF THEM, YOU DAMNED BANDITS!" The group, including Higuma looked to see the mayor and Makino standing there. "Please! I don't know what Luffy did, and I don't wish to argue with you, but I'm willing to pay. So please, I beg you," he got on his knees and bowed low with his head to the ground, "let them go."

Umi looked towards him with tears in her eyes as Luffy looked at him astonished.

"Chief…"

"Chief…" Umi looked at them, "please…"

Higuma smirked. "Of course, the ossan knows how to deal. But…" he pressed his foot harder onto Luffy's face and pulled Umi up farther by her hair, her eyes wide with fear, and licked a stripe up her cheek, "it's too late now. My pride has been questioned by this brat, and what better way to gain revenge by destroying his life and the life of his family?"

"YOU HORRIBLE, DISGUSTING BABOON!" Luffy yelled, his face smooshed into the ground.

A tick appeared on the man's forehead. "Fine. I won't sell you." He pulled out his sword with his free hand. "I'll kill you. At least then you won't see your sister destroyed."

"LUFFY! UMI!"

"PLEASE LET THEM GO! I'LL PAY YOU!"

"I was wondering why no one was welcoming us at the port." The mayor and Makino turned to see Shanks and his crew behind them.

"Hey!" Higuma and his crew turned to see them. "You're the bandits from the other day."

Makino looked at Shanks with tears in her eyes as he passed her and the mayor. "Senchou…"

"What's wrong, Luffy? Isn't your punch like a pistol? How come you're not watching over your sister?"

"SHUT UP!" Luffy yelled with tears in his eyes.

"Kaizoku… You're still here? Are you gonna ransack the town now?" He turned his head away and looked back at Luffy. "You should leave before I open fire on you, coward."

CLICK!

"Didn't you hear him? No getting closer, hahaha."

Shanks looked at the man next to him, holding the gun to his head. "I guess I'll have to fight you then."

The man looked confused. "What?"

Pointing at the gun, Shank's smiled. "I said not to scare people with this."

DON!

Everyone looked as they saw the large man from Shank's crew, holding a gun that shot the bandit as he took a bite of meat.

"YOU'RE GONNA GET IT NOW! HOW DARE YOU DO THAT! CHEATS!"

The man with the ponytail scoffed. "Cheats? What, do you think we're honest?"

Shanks smirked. "The people standing in front of you are kaizoku."

One of the men yelled out, "This has nothing to do with you, kaizoku!"

Shanks tilted his head so his face was hidden in the shadow. Grabbing the edge of his heat he growled out, "Listen well. You bandits can throw food or sake at me, you can even spit on me and I'll laugh it off. But!" he wrenched his face back up and the bandits stepped back in fear. "No matter the reason, if you hurt my friends I swear I'll kill you!"

Luffy twisted his face to see it and his eyes widened. "Shanks?"

"Hahahaha! 'Won't forgive me'?" Higuma laughed at the red head. "You kaizoku who laze around on a ship all day, THINK YOU CAN CHALLENGE ME!" Turning to his men, he pointed at the kaizoku. "DESTROY THEM!"

The man in a ponytail walked forward with a shotgun. "Senchou. Let me take care of them." Shanks nodded and watched with a smile as his crewmate took down the bandits just by hitting them with the butt end of his gun. "Don't underestimate us, bandits," he said as he aimed his gun at Higuma.

"H-Hold up! This little brat messed with us, first!" He shouted, trying to get out of the situation.

Shanks smirked. "Doesn't matter. You do have a bounty on your head after all."

Higuma's face paled. Looking in every direction he smirked. "Hmph! Smoke Bomb!" he shouted as he threw down a small ball that released smoke.

"YOU TWO'RE COMING WITH ME!"

"LET US GO, DAMNIT!"

"SHANKS!"

As the smoke cleared, Shanks and the crew saw that the bandit had gotten away with the two kids.

"GYAHHHH! HE GOT AWAY WITH THEM! WHAT'RE WE GONNA DOO!" Shanks screamed, holding his face in terror.

His crew sweat dropped as one of them said, "We go after them…"

* * *

><p>"Hah! No one would think to look for a bandit on the sea!" Looking at the two kids who were huddled on the opposite side of the small dingy, he smirked. "I only used you as hostages, you're useless to me now."<p>

Luffy growled at the man. "DAMN YOU!" and tried to punch him, but the man dodged.

"Ha. Laters, brat," and he kicked Luffy off the side.

"ONII-CHAN!" Umi screamed as she moved to the edge. Higuma grabbed her by her braid and laughed.

"You'll still be of use, girl." She growled and reached for the man's sword, slicing her hair off and jumping into the water.

Higuma growled. "Hmph! Both of them can drown!"

Luffy screamed in his head. 'The cowards! They won't even fight properly! How dare they do that!"

"_Those pathetic kaizoku! Not worth anything at all!"_

_Higuma laughed. "I should'a scarred the face of their Senchou even more. Pathetic. What a coward. I should've killed him"_

"_HEY! SHUT UP!"_

"_DON'T UNDERESTIMATE SHANKS!"_

Luffy thrashed at the water. "Gurggle… Help…" Sinking he looked and saw a bubble heading towards him. When it got close enough he popped into it. He could breathe… And he wasn't dying anymore. "What?" He cleared his eyes and saw Umi sitting in it as well with a smile on her face. Laughing he hugged her. "Yokata…

As the bubble rose to the surface of the water, they saw a huge sea monster behind Higuma's boat. It rose up and bit the boat in half, Higuma disappearing inside it's mouth.

The bubble popped, and the two kids started drowning. Thrashing in the water, the sea monster turned to them and gave a strange smirk. Luffy grabbed Umi and tried his best to pull her behind him. "Help… Help!"

"Shanks!"

Shanks held the two in one arm, them crying on him as he looked to the monster with a nasty look on his face. "Get lost." The monster's face paled and it yipped back in terror as it ran away.

"Shanks… Shanks…" Luffy cried into his shoulder.

"Waaahhhhh…" Umi pressed her face in his chest.

"Thanks for sticking up for us. Makino told me everything. It's ok guys… You're fine, see? Luffy, I thought boys don't cry?"

"But-But, Shanks!" Umi looked up.

Luffy screamed, "YOUR ARM!"

Shanks smiled as he pat their heads. "It's nothing to worry about. It's just an arm. As long as you two are fine."

Luffy and Umi pushed their faces into his chest. "WAAAAHHHH!"

* * *

><p>As Luffy and Umi stand their watching Shanks and his crew get ready to leave for the last time, he understands why Shanks hasn't taken him with them. The sea can be a cruel and hard place, and Luffy finally sees that now. Instead of thinking that Shanks is just a weakling, he now sees how strong Shanks is and wishes to be just like him. And that means that he has to become as strong a captain and gain as strong a crew.<p>

"So you're really leaving and not coming back?"

Shanks smiled. "Yep. We've been here long enough and need to move one. Why? You sad?"

Luffy smiled back. "Ya, but I'm not gonna ask to part of your crew anymore. I'll become a pirate myself and get an awesome crew as well."

Shanks laughed and stuck out his tongue. "I wouldn't let you join my crew anyway! You don't have what it takes to be a pirate!"

Luffy's cheeks inflated and he yelled, "Yes I do! One day, I'll get myself as strong a crew as yours and I'll find the world's biggest treasure! THEN I'LL BECOME THE KAIZOKU OU!"

Shanks and his crew smiled as Luffy made his declaration. "Oh," Shanks said, "so you want to be bigger than us, eh?" Taking off his hat he put it on Luffy's head. "Then this hat is my present to you." Luffy grabbed the hat and kept his face hidden in the shade coming from it. "When you become great, you can give that hat back to me."

As he walked onto his ship, his crewmate smiled. "That kid's gonna be big."

Shanks grinned back. "I know. He reminds me of me when I was young."

"PULL UP THE ANCHOR!"

"SET SAIL!"

* * *

><p>And the journey begins 10 years later.<p>

"They finally left, Chief!" Makino smiled as her and the village looked out to the sea.

"I never thought they'd be so serious about it!"

The mayor hmphed. "He'll ruin this town's reputation!" Makino laughed at him as he watched the small dingy leave the port.

* * *

><p>"Ahh… The weather's great, ne, Umi-Chan?" Luffy turned to see Umi munching on a salted fish.<p>

"Mmmm… fsure…" she mumbled, her mouth full.

As they looked forwards, they saw the sea monster from ten years ago. Smirking, Luffy pulled back his arm.

"I've got something to settle with you." The monster roared and reached down, ready to bite the boat.

"Gomu-Gomu no…" Luffy yelled as his arm stretched back, and then it careened into the monster's face, "PISTOL!"

The monster flew up in the air and landed back in the water behind them.

"How'd that taste? Dumb fish…"

Umi stared at it, drooling. "Unagi…"

"Let's go find friends! Maybe 10 or so… And we need a musician!"

Umi stared at him. "I want a chef."

Luffy laughed. "Of course we need one of those as well! And we also need to make a flag!" Pointing forward he shouted, "ALRIGHT! LET'S GO! I'M GONNA BECOME KAIZOKU OU!"

And without any other shipmates, they set sail on a long journey that has just begun.

* * *

><p>I've started a new one. Tell me if you like it or not. I think I'll just continue it anyway.<p>

I've had this one stuck in my head lately, so I thought I'd get it out. If anyone can find out what Umi's power is (cause you could already guess she ate a Devil Fruit) then try and I'll write a one-shot of your choice (for an anime or book, etc, that I know. Can't exactly write for something I don't, ne?) of anything if you get it right. This is until it's revealed! I'm not sure yet what chapter it's gonna be, but it's not gonna be for a while :)


	2. Meet Colbie

"Hmm. On such a great day, who'd have thought we'd get caught in such a disaster?"

Umi turned to Luffy, her face stone-like, making Luffy laugh nervously. "'We'? _We _didn't get us caught. _You_ did. All _I_ did was take a nap, and then you woke me up saying it was an emergency."

Luffy rubbed the back of his head. "Well, we can't exactly swim, and your power probably wouldn't hold out long enough for us to find a boat, so I would think that getting caught in a whirlpool would be a problem."

"Swimming?" Umi's eyebrow ticked.

"Oh ya!" Luffy's right hand made a fist and tapped his left palm. "Swimming wouldn't help us in this situation."

Umi sighed as their dingy got sucked down the whirlpool.

* * *

><p>Squeak!<p>

"Why is there still dust? Saying it once should be enough, ne?"

"I'm so sorry Alvida-Sama! I'll clean it once more to your expectation! PLEASE DON'T-"

"Don't what?"

"DON'T HIT ME WITH YOUR BLUEDGEON! I CAN'T CLEAN IF I'M DEAD!"

GAN! Oh look, there goes the crying man.

"Coby! Who's the most beautiful lady of the sea?"

A short, young boy with pink hair in a bob, glasses that made his eyes swirl a bit, stuttered out, "Y-Y-You are, Alvida-Sa-Sa-Sama!"

The lady smiled, her freckled covered cheeks enlarging even more as her fat hands grabbed the bludgeon that she carried around with her everywhere, and her frizzy, messy hair that would not be tamed was covered by the large, white cowboy hat on top of her head.

"Of course! Since I'm so beautiful, I want things to look as good as me on this ship! The only reason I've let you stay so long with me is because you're the best at navigating. Otherwise, you're useless! Now, CLEAN MY SHOE!"

"YE-YES, ALVIDA-SAMA!" Coby cried as he grabbed a rag and started wiping her shoe clean of dirt.

"That's enough!" The ugly woman shouted as she kicked Coby in the face, throwing him quite a few feet.

"I-I'm sorry."

She turned her head. "If you have time to apologize, then you have time to clean the wash room!"

Coby stood up, blood trickling from his nose, as he gave a nervous smile. "Ye-Yes, Alvida-Sama. I'll be on my way."

Coby walked off the ship onto the island. "On my way…" he mumbled. Looking at the water he spied a barrel on the beach. On autopilot, he pushed it up onto the ground and headed towards the wine cellar. Upon getting there, a pirate popped up.

"What is that?"

Coby looked up at the pirate blocking the doorway. "It was on the beach."

"So you're saying you found that barrel of sake from the ocean?" the pirate grinned and moved so Coby could finish pushing the barrel into the room.

"Let's drink together!" another pirate with long hair cawed as he got the barrel from Coby and put it upright.

"But the captain-" the first pirate mumbled, eyes shuffling as if expecting Alvida to emerge from the shadows.

"She won't find out," a third pirate assured the first.

"After all, we're the only ones cleaning out the wine cellar, so as long as no one rats anything," he turned to Coby who put his hands up nervously.

"I saw nothing! What barrel?" Coby laughed, his body shaking as he gave a wobbling smile. "Please don't beat me."

"AAAHHH! That was a good nap! I thought we were gonna die! Looks like we're saved, Umi-Chan!"

The four standing there gaped as a boy popped out of the barrel, a smaller girl popping her head up her eyes peering over the edge of the top. The boy looked at them in confusion.

"Who're you?" he asked them.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN!?"

"WHO ARE YOU!?"

"WHY WOULD SOMEONE POP OUT OF A BARREL!?" The three pirates yelled at the boy as he grabbed the girl underneath her arms and put her outside the barrel and stood her next to Coby.

"STOP SLACKING OFF!"

DOGOON!

The room got demolished as a bludgeon crashed into it. Luffy flew away in the barrel, Umi following him and Coby following her into the woods.

"So, who is the most beautiful?"

The three pirates jumped to attention as they all yelled, "WHY, THAT'LL BE YOU, ALVIDA-SAMA!"

"Then why must I constantly ask for obedience!?"

The three looked at her in confusion. "What do you mean, Alvida-Sama?" a brave soul asked.

She pushed her face into his; yelling out, "Don't plya dumb! I heard you say 'That was a good nap!' all the way from the ship!"

The three realized what she meant, and yelled out, "That was an intruder, Alvida-Sama! He was brought in by Coby!"

She looked at them and then turned towards the forest. "Could it be that someone's trying to catch me? Maybe…it's that Kaizoku Ryoushi, Zoro…" she mumbled. "That brat, Coby! How dare he betray me! He tried to capture me and get a reward!"

One of the men shook his head. "But that's impossible! I heard he's still being held captive at the Marine Base!"

Alvida laughed as she raised her bludgeon. "If he's the real thing, he must've escaped by now. The worse-than-evil Roronoa Zoro!"

* * *

><p>"Hey, are you ok?" Coby looked at the strange boy.<p>

"Yep! I'm fine. I'm Luffy! Yoroshiku!" Luffy jumped up out of the barrel and gestured to his sister with a smile. "This is Umi, my younger sister. Where is this?" he looked around.

Coby sighed as he looked at the trees. "It's the breeding ground for Alvida-Sama and her crew. I'm the caretaker of the ship and her navigator, Coby."

Luffy nodded as Umi reached in her bag and pulled out a salted, dried fish. Coby looked in wonder as she chewed quite contently.

"Ah. Not important. Do you have a small boat? Ours got destroyed in the whirlpool."

"Ehhh? A Whirlpool? A normal person would've died."

Luffy nodded solemnly. "It was scary," and Umi smacked him on the back of the head as she mumbled about it all being his fault.

"Well," Coby said as he started walking in a direction, "come along. I'll show you a boat."

They walked a bit until they got to a small clearing. Looking into the sun-covered area Luffy and Umi saw something that made them sweat drop.

Poking it, Umi asked, "Is it a coffin?"

Coby looked affronted. "It's a boat I've built secretly for two years. I was going to use it to escape Alvida-Sama."

Luffy turned to look at him as Umi stepped inside it and attempted to sit down. "And you're gonna just give it to us?"

Coby sighed as he looked down at the ground. "I'm too scared to try and run away. Every time I think about it, I imagine Alvida-Sama finding out and then my knees get weak and I feel like I'm gonna hurl and I can't do anything but sweat in terror!"

"You're pathetic," Luffy stated bluntly. "I don't like you." Coby's head tilted to the side as his soul started to leak out of his mouth.

"I apologize for my brother," Umi said as she smacked Luffy on the back of his head, giving the 'boat' a wide berth. "Sometimes he forgets that not everyone is a monster like him."

Coby shook his head. "It's ok. I'm used to it, so it's fine. But, I really wish I could be strong."

"You can be. Luffy and I weren't always strong. We used to be really weak, but we trained really hard and pushed our limits, and now we're heading out to become the best!"

Coby looked at her in wonderment as Luffy grinned. "That's right! I'm gonna be the Kaizoku Ou!"

Coby jumped back. "Ehhhh? Ehhhhhh? Kaizoku Ou!? You're gonna get One Piece? And fight all the other kaizoku after it? And risk your life for it!?"

Luffy nodded. "Hai."

"NO! Impossible! Impossible, impossible, impossible, imposs-"

GA-N!

"Owwww… Why'd you hit me?"

"Because I don't like you. You're annoying."

Umi sighed as she sat next to Coby on the ground. "I have to agree with Onii-Chan on this one. We don't care what happens. We're willing to die for our dream."

Coby looked up at her. "Huh?"

"Because it's important to us," Umi smiled at him. "It's worth more to us than our life. We will die for it if we need to."

Coby looked at her with tears in his eyes. "Could I accomplish my dream if I'm willing to die for it?"

"Shi-shi-shi-shi! Of course you could," Luffy laughed as Umi grinned.

"I WANT TO BECOME A MARINE!"

"Marine?"

"Luffy-San, Umi-san!" Coby looked at them with tears in his eyes. "I know that we'd be on opposite sides, but it has always been my dream to become a marine and fight bad guys and lock them away. Arresting people like Alvida-Sama! That has always been my dream!"

"It's up to you, Coby," Luffy laughed.

DOKAN!

"WHO DO YOU THINK YOU'RE ARRESTING, COBY?"

Coby looked up in terror. "My…boat…"

Alvida looked up from the wreckage with a nasty grin. "You think you can escape me?" She stood up straight and looked at Luffy. "Is that who you've hired to capture me? That's not Roronoa Zoro." Putting the bludgeon above her head she smirked. "COBY! Who's the most beautiful in the sea?"

"Ah-ah, why that'd be-?"

"Onii-Chan, is that a woman?"

"Ah, I think so." Looking at Coby, Luffy pointed at Alvida. "Coby, who's the old hag?"

The pirates and Coby flew backwards from Alvida who looked furious. "Ah! Luffy-San, Umi-San! Repeat after me! In all the seas, this lady is the most-" He paused, looking at the two, and then Alvida. Clenching his teeth, he gathered his courage and then yelled out, "THE UGLIEST, RUDEST BITCH!"

A shadow fell over him, and looking up he saw Alvida. He turned, hearing Luffy and Umi laughing as Alvida was yelling at him. _'No regrets! No regrets! No regrets!'_

"That was great, Coby! Behind me, now!" and Umi pulled Coby behind Luffy just in time for the bludgeon to miss him and hit Luffy on the head instead.

"LUFFY-SAN!"

Alvida and the crew smirked, and Coby looked back at Umi who was just smiling.

"Shi-shi-shi-shi!" The kaizoku looked at him in shock. "Can't hurt me. I'm a Gomu ningen after all!" And he pulled his arm back and punched her in the face as he yelled, "GOMU-GOMU NO PISTOL!"

* * *

><p>"So you're a Gomu ningen. That's surprising." Luffy just smiled. "But Luffy-San, if you're looking for One Piece, that means you have to go to the Grand Line. Isn't that a kaizoku graveyard?"<p>

Luffy nodded as Umi grabbed another salted fish from the box that Alvida's crew had given them filled with food along with the boat and water. Coby looked at her, wondering how she could keep eating fish but not asking out of worry of being rude.

"That's why I need a strong crew. And one of them is the guy you were talking about earlier."

"And a chef," Umi interjected, but was ignored by the other two.

"Roronoa Zoro?" Coby asked in astonishment. "But he's a demon! He's evil!"

Luffy laughed. "I haven't met him so I don't know, but if he's a good guy then he'll join!"

Coby gaped as Luffy just shuffled to lie down for a nap. "But, how do you know he'll even accept?"

Umi grinned, her mouth full of fish. "Onii-Chn'll get hm fer sur," she said, her words a bit hard to understand. Coby just shook his head as he lay down to take a nap as well; Umi navigating the boat according to instructions Coby had given her earlier.

* * *

><p>"Yay! We got here! Finally!" Coby sighed as the two siblings jumped around the port in joy. "If you want to become the Kaizoku Ou you'll need a navigator."<p>

Umi turned and grabbed Coby's hand, dragging him along behind a laughing Luffy, saying as she looked at the many stalls on the road, "We'll get one, don't worry. We're gonna slowly get our crew," she finished with a smile, Coby blushing as he looked at their hands.

They followed Luffy into a restaurant and saw him smiling at a little girl that took them to a table and then asked what they'd like. Umi smiled at the girl who smiled back as she scampered off to an older woman that went inside some swinging doors to tell the chef their order.

* * *

><p>"So, we're parting ways here then, Coby?" Luffy pat his stomach, obviously content as he smiled.<p>

Coby nodded, slightly bowing his head in thanks. "Yes, Luffy-San. Thank you both for helping me," he smiled at the two.

Luffy laughed. "Do you think Zoro is still being kept at the Marine Base? I wanna go see him."

"GYAHHH!" The three looked to see the people in the restaurant creeping near the other side of the room, the tables and chairs strewn across the floor. As the silence grew the people slowly walked back to their spots, keeping an eye on the three newcomers.

"Maybe we shouldn't say the name 'Zoro' here?" Coby whispered just loud enough for the siblings to hear. As he sat back he smiled again, ignoring the way the people stared at them. "I did hear that there was someone at the Marine Base I could ask about enlisting though, called Lieutenant Morgan."

"GYAHHH!" Again the three looked up to see the townspeople quaking once more at the other side of the room. Standing up, Umi apologized to the owners and bowed as she snuck a couple coins into the hand of the little girl who looked up at her with wide eyes; Umi winking her own eyes and putting a finger to her lips as they walked outside.

Coby looked at the restaurant as Luffy was laughing about how the people inside had been pretty entertaining. "I wonder why they'd be afraid of a Marine Lieutenant's name? I could understand Zoro's, but not the marine…"

Luffy shrugged as Umi ignored them in favor of searching for a good fish stand. "Maybe he did something bad?"

"IMPOSSIBLE!" Coby shouted, face flushing in anger. "No way would a marine do something bad! A real marine would stand up for good!"

Luffy smiled as he stuck his hands in his pockets and kept walking towards the Marine Base. "I'm just saying, if people are scared of him he probably did something bad."

Coby crossed his arms and pouted as he followed the two. After a good ten minutes of walking he looked up to see them approaching a stone fence with a metal gate that held the marine symbol and said MARINE in large letters. Looking past that he saw a white building with lines going around it in circles similar to a candy cane, but it was black instead of red.

"Hmmm…" Luffy rubbed his face with his hand, "up close it kind of looks ugly…" Looking at Coby he gestured to the gate with a smile, "There you are, Coby."

Coby wringed his hands together and looked up at nervously at Luffy who was following Umi to the gate. "Ano… I don't know. I don't think I'm mentally ready for this, and those people at the restaurant seemed a little weird…" he followed the two as he mumbled to himself.

"Hmmm… Monster, huh? I wonder what he looks like." Luffy and Umi climbed to the top of the wall while Coby was talking about how most likely they'd have him hidden in a dark room underground, not in the yard, when Umi exclaimed in triumph.

"There he is!"

Coby climbed up to look as well and gasped in terror as he fell backwards. "Th-That bandana and haramaki… Those evil eyes! That evil aura! Th-That's Roronoa Zoro for sure!"

Luffy tilted his head to the side. "Those ropes look pretty easy to break…"

Coby squeaked. "Lu-Luffy-San! You can't let him go or he'll go on a rampage and destroy the town! He'll kill you!"

"Hey! Pipsqueak!" The three looked at Zoro. "Would you come untie me? I've been here for nine days, so I'm tired and thirsty."

Umi grinned and waved as Luffy tilted his head. "Ah. He smiled."

"I'll repay you buy hunting someone down and giving you the money. I'll keep my word." Zoro smiled nastily at him.

"NO! HE'LL KILL YOU, LUFFY-SAN!"

Umi laughed. "He can't kill Onii-Chan."

"Eh?" Coby looked at her in astonishment as Luffy just smiled.

"Because," she turned to face Zoro and said, loud enough for even him to hear, "Onii-Chan's to strong for him."

Coby turned to the side, his soul leaking from his mouth as Luffy and Umi smiled at the tied-up man. _'Why-Why-Why must they be like this!'_


End file.
